IfG Events

What is driving Donald Trump’s America – and what lessons might the rise of the MAGA movement, and the Democrats’ defeat in the 2024 US presidential election, hold for Keir Starmer and the Labour Party?   Tim Ryan, a former Democrat nominee for President, served in the US House of Representatives for Ohio for over two decades. He ran for President in 2020 and then the US Senate from Ohio in 2022, an election won by JD Vance – the future US Vice President.   On Monday 14 July, Tim Ryan joined Anushka Asthana, Channel 4’s US Editor, at the Institute of Government, to share his experiences of US politics – and what other countries can learn from the rise and return of President Trump. What lies behind the dissatisfaction in US voters that saw Trump return to the White House? How can the Democrats build a vote-winning agenda? And what was it like to face JD Vance – and how influential is the Vice President on Trump’s America?   This event was introduced by IfG Director and CEO Dr Hannah White.   Tim Ryan, the former representative for Ohio, was in London with PPI to champion the Campaign for Working Americans – the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) mission to develop ideas and policy proposals to help the US Democratic Party reconnect with working Americans. Ryan represented Ohio in the US Congress from 2003–23, and ran for the Senate in Ohio in 2022, an election JD Vance won and went on to become US Vice President.    Anushka Asthana joined Channel 4 News in June 2025 as US Editor. She previously worked at ITV News, where she had been Deputy Political Editor since 2021 and co-presented Peston since 2018. Prior to joining ITV, Anushka was joint Political Editor of The Guardian, having worked for Sky, The Times, and The Observer. In 2024, her book, Taken As Red, was published as one of the first accounts of Labour's dramatic election win, with the updated paperback published in June 2025 on Labour’s first year in government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Labour fought the 2024 general election on a manifesto which promised “a new way of doing government” – one built on the concept of mission-driven government. But how much has this government’s decisions, trade-offs and policy priorities really been shaped by its five missions? And how far have they been able to make progress on their priorities in the first year?   To mark the first year of Keir Starmer becoming prime minister, the Institute for Government and the Institute for Fiscal Studies hosted a joint event to explore what progress the government has made and whether Starmer’s government is really doing things differently to its predecessors.   Are the government’s missions realistic or do they lack ambition? Have Rachel Reeves’ tax and spending choices supported or hindered mission delivery? What did the spending review reveal about the government’s priorities? How could government be better structured – and decisions made – in a way that is more mission-driven? And one year on since the general election, can the government really say it is governing in a “new way”?   To explore these questions and more, the IfG and IFS brought together an expert panel featuring:   Stephen Bush, Associate Editor and columnist at the Financial Times Helen Miller, Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at the Institute for Government   The event was chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the Institute for Government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chaired by Emma Norris, Deputy Director of the Institute for Government.   This event was part of the IfG’s conference, The Nolan Principles at 30: What does the future hold for standards in public life? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To reflect on the topics raised during the conference, the IfG and CSPL convened small group discussions to talk through more specific questions:    What are the emerging threats and opportunities in the standards landscape?  How do politics and partisanship affect the way standards are perceived? What does ethical public service leadership look like?   Those joining online were able to take part in a webinar discussion on the same topics. A panel of IfG and CSPL staff will report back on the themes raised in the discussions.    This event was part of the IfG’s conference, The Nolan Principles at 30: What does the future hold for standards in public life?   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Many of the public’s interactions with the state are with frontline officials in health and social care, policing and local government. How much do the Nolan principles resonate with those delivering public services? How can frontline officials be supported to make ethical decisions? And how can frontline organisations prevent failures, and rebuild public trust where they occur?   Speakers:   Neil Basu, former Assistant Commissioner, Metropolitan Police Helen Buckingham, Chair of National Voices Amerdeep Somal, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman   This session was chaired by Nick Davies, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.   This event was part of the IfG’s conference, The Nolan Principles at 30: What does the future hold for standards in public life? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.   This event was part of the IfG’s conference, The Nolan Principles at 30: What does the future hold for standards in public life? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.   This event was part of the IfG’s conference, The Nolan Principles at 30: What does the future hold for standards in public life? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After 30 years of the Nolan Principles, ethical scandals – from partygate to freebiegate – are still a regular feature of UK political life and public trust in politicians remains low. What role do politicians play in leading by example? How should politicians in Westminster, devolved and local governments demonstrate their commitment to the Nolan Principles? How can they show ethical leadership within their organisations? And what does upholding standards look like in different political and governmental contexts?   Speakers:   Paula Barker MP, member of the Commons Select Committee on Standards Roger Gough, former leader of Kent County Council   Dr Melissa McCullough, Commissioner for Standards, NI Assembly Dave Penman, General Secretary, FDA   This session was chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.   This event was part of the IfG’s conference, The Nolan Principles at 30: What does the future hold for standards in public life? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To mark the 30th anniversary of the Nolan Principles, and to explore how ethical standards can be upheld in the future, the IfG brought together a series of expert panels and keynote speakers – including former prime minister the Rt Hon Sir John Major KG CH – for a thought-provoking and stimulating one-day conference.   Introduction from Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the IfG, and Doug Chalmers, Chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life.   Chaired by Dr Hannah White, Director and CEO of the IfG.   This event was part of the IfG’s conference, The Nolan Principles at 30: What does the future hold for standards in public life?   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rumours of a cabinet reshuffle are never far away in Westminster. So how should Keir Starmer approach the delicate task of choosing his top team? The prime minister has to strike a balance between ministers’ performance, party management and the government’s policy agenda, while being a minister is a job like no other – there are no regular performance reviews, clear handovers or annual appraisals.   So how can ministers succeed in government and reach the cabinet table? What skills do they need at each rung of the ministerial ladder? How can backbench MPs prepare to become a minister? And how does the prime minister make decisions about who should serve in government?   To explore these questions and more, we were joined by an expert panel, including:   Kitty Donaldson, Chief Political Commentator at the i Paper Rt Hon Lucy Frazer KC, former Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Rt Hon James Purnell, CEO of Flint Global and former Secretary of State for Work and Pensions   The event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices